WOMAN PLEADED GUILTY TO KILLING PARTNER IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

A woman has been jailed for 6 years 3 months at Leicester Crown Court today for killing her partner at his home in Stoke-on-Trent.

Sophie Lou Butler, aged 20, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her boyfriend, 33-year-old Norasab Hussain, at their flat in Bromley Court, Hanley, on Saturday 30 May 2015.

The court heard that the couple had been in a relationship with each other for two years, which at times was volatile. On the evening of 29 May, Miss Butler and Mr Hussain had gone out separately but had met up later at a club in Hanley. They then went on to another two clubs before catching a taxi back to the flat in Bromley Court.

During the evening, the couple had an argument about Miss Butler speaking to another man. They left the town centre in a taxi and travelled to the Bromley Court address where the dispute continued.

During this Mr Hussain made two telephone calls to Miss Butler’s mother and friend and left a voicemail message in which he referred to Miss Butler as being unfaithful.

At this time Miss Butler stabbed Mr Hussain with a large kitchen knife through the chest, fatally penetrating his heart. Mr Hussain made one last phone call to the emergency services, in need of an ambulance.

Miss Butler remained inside the flat all night, she refused to answer the door to the attending ambulance staff or police who made a number visits through the hours that followed.

She went on to self-inflict five minor cuts to her abdomen and burn some pages of her diary in the kitchen toaster.

It was not until early afternoon the following day when Miss Butler shouted to a neighbour in the garden through the open lounge window that ambulance staff and police were able to access the property and found Mr Hussain deceased on the lounge floor.

A post mortem examination revealed Mr Hussain had died from the single stab wound to the chest.

Following sentence, DCI David Giles from Staffordshire Police said: “Sophie Lou Butler unlawfully killed her partner, Norasab Hussain, by stabbing him in the chest with a knife.

“Their relationship was volatile and the court heard how domestic abuse, was a toxic feature which undoubtedly contributed to an unhealthy relationship and ultimately, this untimely death.

“Miss Butler presented evidence to the court in which she described how living in an abusive relationship had had a corrosive effect on her mental health.

“This tragic incident has ended the life of a young man and condemned a young woman to prison as well as devastating two families by its lasting effects.

“My thoughts are with the family of Mr Hussain and I hope this verdict will assist them in coming to terms with what has happened.”

Following this incident a referral was made to the Independent Police Complaints Commission to review the circumstances around the force’s response to the incident. An independent investigation is ongoing.